When you are working in a laboratory that requires precision work, any changes in the environment or equipment can have an impact on the results.  A laboratory must be able to rely on accurate results.  Therefore, maintaining laboratory temperature and humidity is important.  If the humidity is too high or too low, it can affect accuracy.  Temperature also plays an important part in the results.

Laboratory Temperature and Humidity Guidelines

There are many organizations that outline laboratory temperature and humidity requirements.  The purpose of these guidelines is to prevent contamination.

The recommended practices for calibration laboratories from National Research Council Canada state that the optimal temperature range is between 18 and 28°C with a preferred setpoint of 23°C. Humidity should be between 10 to 60 percent.

The agreed-upon standards set out by the International Standards Organization often from a baseline suggestion.  The World Health Organization also has guidelines.  These organizations will vary from lab to lab depending upon the industry and work that is done in your lab. They specifically modify it based on needs.

Steps to Maintaining Temperature and Humidity

There are several ways that you can maintain the lab environment’s temperature and monitor the processes.

• Know the optimal temperature and humidity range needs for your lab.
• The processes for monitoring temperature.
• The tools used to maintain the temperature.
• The procedure for dealing with system malfunctions.

The ventilation systems and air flow play a role in temperature maintenance.  The relative humidity is somewhat easier to control than temperature.

Air purity is an important factor.  A positive pressure should be maintained to keep air quality in range.  Humidity monitors should be placed more central to equipment.  Placing them near doors or portals where frequent changes happen can skew data.

A laboratory temperature and humidity monitor is a key piece to have.  It tracks fluctuations and notifies when it drops too low or gets too high.  The better monitors also help you set and maintain ideal temperatures.

Instruments Can Become Damaged

Instruments in the lab can become damaged by changes in temperature and humidity.  An accurate reading or calibrating equipment doesn’t matter when the equipment itself is distorted.  Things like air bubbles in a lens or a microchip shorting from accumulated water can occur with temperature and humidity problems.

Instruments are easy to monitor for constants in temperature and humidity.  However, an instrument that runs constantly will have a higher operating temperature.

Strategy and the Best Tools

To maintain the validity, you need consistent protocols when it comes to the laboratory and the equipment.  It starts with recording the laboratory temperature and humidity and expands to known variables.  By having a significantly strong strategy in place and the acceptable range of temperatures and relative humidity, you will be on your way to consistency.  Contact us for any questions or help with getting your laboratory prepared and products that will assist.  We are here to help.